diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go
index d7d68f223c..0ac10bccc2 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload.go
@@ -47,6 +47,23 @@ func IsMergeBlock(st state.BeaconState, blk block.BeaconBlockBody) (bool, error)
 	return !isEmptyPayload(payload), nil
 }
 
+// ExecutionEnabled returns true if the beacon chain can begin executing.
+// Meaning the payload header is beacon state is non-empty or the payload in block body is non-empty.
+//
+// Spec code:
+// def is_execution_enabled(state: BeaconState, body: BeaconBlockBody) -> bool:
+//    return is_merge_block(state, body) or is_merge_complete(state)
+func ExecutionEnabled(st state.BeaconState, blk block.BeaconBlockBody) (bool, error) {
+	mergeBlock, err := IsMergeBlock(st, blk)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	if mergeBlock {
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	return MergeComplete(st)
+}
+
 func isEmptyPayload(p *ethpb.ExecutionPayload) bool {
 	if !bytes.Equal(p.ParentHash, make([]byte, fieldparams.RootLength)) {
 		return false
diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go
index 830ed08c49..11924552a9 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/blocks/payload_test.go
@@ -344,6 +344,71 @@ func Test_MergeBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func Test_ExecutionEnabled(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		payload *ethpb.ExecutionPayload
+		header  *ethpb.ExecutionPayloadHeader
+		want    bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "empty header, empty payload",
+			payload: emptyPayload(),
+			header:  emptyPayloadHeader(),
+			want:    false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "non-empty header, empty payload",
+			payload: emptyPayload(),
+			header: func() *ethpb.ExecutionPayloadHeader {
+				h := emptyPayloadHeader()
+				h.ParentHash = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
+				return h
+			}(),
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "empty header, non-empty payload",
+			header: emptyPayloadHeader(),
+			payload: func() *ethpb.ExecutionPayload {
+				p := emptyPayload()
+				p.Timestamp = 1
+				return p
+			}(),
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non-empty header, non-empty payload",
+			header: func() *ethpb.ExecutionPayloadHeader {
+				h := emptyPayloadHeader()
+				h.ParentHash = bytesutil.PadTo([]byte{'a'}, fieldparams.RootLength)
+				return h
+			}(),
+			payload: func() *ethpb.ExecutionPayload {
+				p := emptyPayload()
+				p.Timestamp = 1
+				return p
+			}(),
+			want: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			st, _ := util.DeterministicGenesisStateMerge(t, 1)
+			require.NoError(t, st.SetLatestExecutionPayloadHeader(tt.header))
+			blk := util.NewBeaconBlockMerge()
+			blk.Block.Body.ExecutionPayload = tt.payload
+			body, err := wrapper.WrappedMergeBeaconBlockBody(blk.Block.Body)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			got, err := blocks.ExecutionEnabled(st, body)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("ExecutionEnabled() got = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func BenchmarkMergeComplete(b *testing.B) {
 	st, _ := util.DeterministicGenesisStateMerge(b, 1)
 	require.NoError(b, st.SetLatestExecutionPayloadHeader(emptyPayloadHeader()))